Collapsible container



NOV. 21, 1961 ACKLEY ETAL 3,009,625

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Jan. 9, 1959 INVENTORS. EDWARD M. ACKLEY 8|EDWARD J'. PFEIFFER BY @411; FA

ATTORNEYS 3,009,625 Patented Nov. 21, 1961 3,009,625 COLLAPSIBLECONTAINER Edward M. Ackley, North Wales, Pa, and Edward J. Pfeifier,Cherry Hill Apts, East, Merchantville, NJ. Filed Jan. 9, 195), Ser. No.785,850 6 Claims.- (Cl. 22941) This invention relates to containers.'More particularly, this invention relates to containers of variouskinds which after use in shipment may efiiciently be collapsed, storedand transported for subsequent re-use.

Customarily, many different kinds of containers are used for theshipment of numerous articles in commerce after which they areordinarily discarded. Such uneconomical practice has been followedprimarily because of the lack of an economically feasible method ofcollapsing, storing and transporting said containers for re-use. Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a container ofsturdy construction, capable of use for shipment in commerce of a largevariety of articles, yet one which may be easily collapsed into a flatand compact state for efficient storage, reshipment and re-use.

It is another object of this invention to provide a container that maybe conveniently stored or reshipped with a minimum of inconvenience andutilization of space.

It is another object of this invention to provide a container adapted tominimal operations in its handling, reshipment and storage for re-use.

It is another object of this invention to provide a container which whenerected has a completely imperforate top, bottom and sides, yet whencollapsed has convenient perforations for the alignment of saidcontainers and the securing of them in a stacked condition.

It is another object of this invention to provide a closure device for acontainer whereby the man-ing, tearing, defacing, or otherwise damagingof said container upon opening after shipment may be entirelyeliminated.

Other objects and attendant advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following detailed descrip tion of the drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a fiberboard container constructed inaccordance with this invention in a collapsed and stacked condition.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a fiberboard container constructed inaccordance with this invention in the collapsed state.

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of a fiberboard container constructed inaccordance with this invention in an erect state showing the top andbottom flaps open.

FIG. 4 is a View in perspective of a fiberboard container constructed inaccordance with this invention showing bottom flaps closed and with twoof the top flaps turned down partially to expose the interior.

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective of a fiberboard container constructed inaccordance with this invention with the bottom flaps closed and all ofthe top fiaps closed except one longitudinal side flap having aperforate opening.

FIG. 6 is a view in perspective of a fiberboard container showing theappearance of the container when erect with the top and bottom flapsclosed to form imperforate surfaces and banded by a closure deviceconstructed according to this invention.

The following description is directed to the specific form of theinvention as shown in. the drawings and is not intended to be addressedto the scope of the invention itself, which is capable of beingpracticed in a wide variety of forms and arrangements.

Adverting herewith to the specific form of the invention illustrated inthe drawings, the container C is formed of body portions consisting oftwo opposing end portions 10 and 11, and two opposing side portions 12and 13. Each of the body portions 10, 11, 12 and 13 are contiguous andhinged at each interface between the respective side and end portions.When the container is erect and unfolded, as shown in FIG. 3, theperforate top flap 14 extends upward from and forms a continuousextension of the body portion 10, and likewise extending upward from andforming a continuous extension of the body portion 11 is the imperforatetop flap 16. 'Extending upward from and forming a continuous extensionof body portion 12 is the imperforate flap 15 and extending upward fromand forming a continuous exten- "sion of body portion 13-is theperforate top flap 17. Similarly the bottom flaps 1 8, 19, 20 and 21extend downward from the respective body portions of which they formcontinuous extensions. a

A circular hole 24 is provided in one corner of the .top end flap 14 anda similar circular hole 25 is provided in an adjacent corner of the topside flap 17. Likewise, a circular hole 26is positioned in one corner ofthe bottom side flap 19 and a similar hole 27 is provided in adjacentcorner of bottom end flap 20.

Located at the interface between body portions 10 and 12 is a hinge 28formed on the creasable edge of the container. Similarly hinge 29 isformed of the creasable edge between the interface of body portions 11and 12; hinge 30 is formed of the creasable edge of the containerbetween the interfaces of body portions 11 and 13; and hinge 31 isformed of the creasable edge at the interfaces of body portions 10 and13. The top flap portions of the container are also in hingedrelationship to the body portions of the container, a hinge 32 beingprovided between the end top flap 14 and end body portion 10, a hinge 33between side top flap 15 and side body portion 12, a hinge 34 betweenend top flap 16 and end body portion 11, and hinge 35 between side topflap '17 and side body portion '13. 'The bottom flaps of the containerare similarly hinged, a hinge 36 being located between end body portion10 and end bottom flap 18, hinge 37 between side body portion 12 andside bottom flap 19, hinge 38 between end body portion 11 and end bottomflap 20, hinge 39 between side body portion 13 and side bottom flap 21.

Located within the interior portion of the container C I is a generallyZ-shaped reinforcing and separating wall 49 which is capable of beingfolded along the edges 41, l

42, 43, 44, 45, and 46 when thecontainer is reduced to its collapsedstate. The wall 40 is secured to the interior of side body portions 12and 13 by means of staples 47 and 47a respectively. a In practice, inorder to insure the re-usability of the container C by eliminating thedamage to its exterior surface usually caused by conventional methods ofseeming the flap portions in place after the container has been providedwith its contents, a band 51 of kraft paper, or the like, is provided toencircle the container lengthwise after thefiaps haveibeen foldedinwardly of the body portion of the container to form the top and bottomthereof, as shown inFIG. 6. As illustrated, the band 51 is wrappedaround the closed container in a direction parallel to the line ofcoincidence between the edges of flap portions and 17 of the top of thecontainer and between the edges of flap portions 19 and 21 of the bottomof the container. The strip of paper which is to form band 51 is appliedto the container, preferably by machine, in such manner that when it hasbeen drawn taut, the ends of the strip will overlap by some smallamount. As may be seen in FIG. 6, one edge 52 of the band 51 isoverlapped by the opposite end of the strip forming the band, leavingonly edge 53 of the strip exposed. A portion of gummed tape 54 is thenplaced along the edge 53 to secure the topmost part of the strip to theundermost part, and thereby maintaining the band 51 in its tautcondition, whereby the flaps of the top and bottom are kept in a closedposition suitable for shipment.

Preparatory to reducing the container C to its collapsed state the hingeflap portions of top and bottom are respectively positioned in the planeof the body portion to which they are hinged, as shown in FIG. 3. Thecontainer is then folded along the hinge edges 29 and 31 so that bodyportions 19 and 12 are brought into the same plane and become parallelto the plane of body portions 11 and 13 as shown in FIG. 2. The circularopening 24 then registers with the circular opening 25 and the circularopening 27 registers with the circular opening 26. In its collapsedstatethe container may then be conveniently stacked by inserting the verticalsupport posts 48 and 49 respectively through the registered openlngs 24and 25 and the registered openings 26 and 27.

After stacking the containers in the aforesaid manner,

the containers may be stored or transported on the platform 50 until itis desired to re-use them.

Although not illustrated in the specific embodiment of the invention asexemplified by the drawings, it will be appreciated that in some cases,where such construction affords greater convenience and economy ofmanufacture, the reinforcing wall 40 may be terminated at the edges 28and and secured to the side body portions 12 and 13 by staples,adhesives, or otherwise.

It will further be appreciated that containers of appropriate size maybe stacked upon the platform 50 in side by side relationship. Whencontainers are stacked in such manner, the vertical support post 48 isinserted through one of the aligned openings of a collapsed containerwhile vertical support post 49 is inserted through an aligned opening ofanother container. The edges of the two containers meet centrally of theplatform 50 and the containers are thereby held mutually in place uponthe platform. By this means, of course, twice as many containers may beheld securely stacked .upon the platform without sacrifice of stability,neatness and orderliness.

It will be apparent that an important advantage of the invention isrealized by the positioning of the openings in the top and bottom flapsof the container, as constructed according to this invention, so thatwhen said container has been collapsed, the aforesaid openings arebrought respectively into alignment, whereby the support posts of aplatform, dolly, or the like, may be inserted through the openings tosupport and retain the containers securely in place, yet when theaforesaid top and bottom flaps are folded to form respectively the topand bottom of the erect container, the openings are not brought intoalignment, as a consequence of which, there is provided a whollyimperforate top and bottom for the container.

Another important advantage of this invention lies in the novel closuredevice provided to cooperate in combination with the various otherfeatures therein to avoid the destructive effect of conventional methodsof closure and provide a practical container capable of repeated re-use.

Although this inventionhas been disclosed with reference to specificforms and embodiments thereof, it will be evident that a great number ofvariations may be made wihtout departing from the spirit and the scopeof this invention. For example, parts may be reversed,

equivalent elements may be substituted for those specifically disclosed,and certain features of the invention may be used independently of otherfeatures, all without departing from the spirit and scope of thisinvention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. A stackable re-usable collapsible container comprising a body portionconsisting of a pair of opposing rectilinear side portions and a pair ofopposing rectilinear end portions, said body portion being formed ofalternating side and end portions in hinged relationship to each other,said side and end portions each having a pair of flaps formedco-extensively therewith and in hinged relationship thereto, whereby theelements of said container are brought into substantially the same planeupon collapsing said container, and whereby a top por tion and a bottomportion of said container are formed upon folding said flaps inwardly ofsaid body portion of said container in its erected state, said containerhaving an opening formed in the plane surfaces of at least two adjacentflaps forming said top portion and in at least two adjacent flapsforming said bottom portion, said openings in the surfaces of saidadjacent flaps being positioned equidistantly from the correspondingedges thereof and being arranged to come into alignment with each otherupon collapsing said container, and a generally Z-shaped reinforcingpartition having the ends theroef secured at opposing diagonal cornersinterior of said container, said partition being adapted to fold flatwithin said container in the collapsed state thereof and to divide theinterior of said container into at least two parts in the erected statethereof.

2. The container defined in claim 1 wherein said opposing side portionsand said opposing end portions are wholly imperforate.

3. The container defined in claim 1 wherein said flaps form animperforate top portion of said container and an imperforate bottomportion of said container when folded inwardly of said body portion ofsaid container in its erected state.

4. A stackable re-usable collapsible container comprising a body portionconsisting of a pair of opposing rectilinear side portions and a pair ofopposing rectilinear end portions, said body portion being formed ofalternating side and end portions in hinged relationship to each other,said side and end portions each having a pair of flaps formedco-extensively therewith and in hinged relationship thereto, whereby theelements of said container are brought into substantially the same planeupon collapsing said container, and whereby a top portion and a bottomportion of said container are formed upon folding said flaps inwardly ofsaid body portion of said container in its erected state, said containerhaving an opening formed in the plane surfaces of at least two adjacentflaps forming said top portion and in at least two adjacent fiapsforming said bottom portion, said openings in the surfaces of saidadjacent flaps being positioned equidistantly from the correspondingedges thereof and being arranged to come into alignment with each otherupon collapsing said container, a generally Z-shaped partition havingthe ends thereof secured at opposing diagonal corners interior of saidcontainer, said partition being adapted to fold flat within saidcontainer in the collapsed state thereof and to divide the interior ofsaid container into at least two parts in the erected state there of,and closure means arranged to band said container whereby said flapsforming said top portion and said fiaps forming said bottom portion aremaintained in their position inwardly folded of said body portion whensaid container is in its erected state.

5. The container defined in claim 4 wherein said closure means comprisesa strip of flexible material banding said container parallel to the lineof coincidence of the edges of the outermost flaps of said top portionof said container and of said bottom portion of said container.

6. The container defined in claim 5 wherein the ends of said stripoverlap and are secured to each other by a transverse tape to maintainsaid strip in taut condition.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,695,935 Vesley Dec. 18, 1928 6 Priester Sept. 25, 1951 Crary July 6,1954 Ratlifi June 26, 1956 Siebel et a1. Sept. 2, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 7Great Britain July 9, 1941

